Take-Two Interactive reported second-quarter fiscal year net bookings of $1.60 billion as anticipation builds for Grand Theft Auto 6.
Preorders Outpace Expectations
Preorders for Rockstar Games’ upcoming title have reached unprecedented levels, according to Take-Two Interactive. Strauss Zelnick stated on the earnings call that preorders have outperformed initial internal expectations.
The company maintained its full-year guidance for fiscal year 2027 at $8.0 billion to $8.2 billion in net bookings. Total net bookings decreased 18 percent compared to the same period last year, while GAAP net revenue landed at $1.50 billion.
Reporting its second quarter fiscal year 2027 results, Take-Two noted that preorders for Rockstar’s next release are tracking far in excess of the company’s initial expectations. The game itself requires downloading 212GB, prompting discussions regarding potential strain on the internet and digital storefronts.
During the Q2 2027 earnings call, Zelnick fielded questions from investors and highlighted that NBA 2K27 represents the second most successful launch in the history of the NBA 2K franchise. Most of Take-Two's net bookings come from recurrent consumer spending, with Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online providing steady revenue.
Addressing Market Concerns
The financial report follows an awkward exchange at a Wall Street Journal tech event where Zelnick was questioned about whether the publisher lacked hit titles outside of its flagship franchise. Zelnick defended the company’s catalog by pointing to its intellectual property portfolio.
🚨NEW: Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick sat down today with @WSJ to discuss the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. The interviewer literally said straight to his face that they don’t have any major hits, despite the huge success of GTA 5 and Red Dead 2… 💀 Strauss’ reaction says it… pic.twitter.com/jTLaQG9viX
Well look, we have 15 franchises that have each sold at least 5 million in individual releases. I think we have the best collection of owned intellectual property in the video game business and I think that’s reflected in our top line, our bottom line, and our market cap.
Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two
Zelnick cited Red Dead Redemption 2, which has exceeded 87 million copies sold, alongside NBA 2K27, which sold 4 million units. He acknowledged that the popularity of GTA 6 may have temporarily affected sales for NBA 2K27.
The interview segment took place at the WSJ Tech: California event, moderated by Jessica Toonkel, deputy media editor at The Wall Street Journal. The session touched on Take-Two’s stock price being down nearly 20 percent from its peak late last year.
Zelnick responded by highlighting that two of the top-five best-selling games of all time belong to Take-Two, including Grand Theft Auto 5, which has surpassed 230 million copies sold across three console generations since 2013. Additional franchises named during his defense include Red Dead Redemption, NBA 2K, WWE 2K, BioShock, Borderlands, and Civilization, alongside mobile titles including Words With Friends.
Executives Address AI-Assisted Piracy Threats
Investors also questioned executives regarding AI-assisted reverse engineering and piracy threats. Zelnick stated that the games industry has historically remained largely immune to piracy due to technical barriers and online architecture.
We are utterly focused on enhancing our technical defences and enhancing our legal activities appropriately. And – at the same time, without in any way being cavalier – every entertainment business that exists is subject to some element of piracy, [and] this is likely to invade our business to a greater or lesser extent. I think it will be manageable and we are focused on it.
Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two
Zelnick also addressed the role of artificial intelligence in asset creation during the call. He emphasized that while technology makes asset generation easier than it was in the past, making a successful title remains difficult. Strauss Zelnick said that while recent technological advances have made it easier to create assets, hit creation remains the purview of human beings.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19.
Take Two says: "Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI are tracking far in excess of our initial expectations, and we know that the numbers will speak for themselves soon enough." pic.twitter.com/S1dM42rIbe
Earlier coverage: Take-Two Interactive Sees Grand Theft Auto VI Preorders at Unprecedented Levels
GTA 6 has reportedly sold nearly 10M copies so far ($942M revenue), surpassing Cyberpunk 2077 to become the most pre-ordered game of all time, according to Sensor Tower. It’s still 9 days away and the number will only keep growing. Take-Two expects the game to sell more than… pic.twitter.com/9Kn6sPUa2u